THE SKINNY ON OBESITY

The following information was taken from the work of Dr. Robert Lustig MD and a multi-part video produced by the University of California Television. This very important work explains the science behind the world wide obesity epidemic and other health challenges we are facing today. It is presented in an easy to understand format and can be viewed at UCTV - Skinny on Obesity (trailer and more)

Here is a summary compiled from the information presented in the video. This might be among the most important information you need to know about the food you eat and how it influences your health.

In the past thirty years there has been an increase in obesity, including children, in numbers never before seen. Research tells us this goes beyond the calories consumed vs calories burned model that science has been using for years to explain why people gain weight. Our food environment has changed over the last 100 years, particularly more so in the last 30 years and we now have an industrial global diet that pervades all of humanity. This food environment shows up as an increase in eating fast foods, the placement of chemicals in the fertilizers and pesticides we put into the soil and the highly processed packaged foods we are eating, the additions of hormones and other additives into the feed we give to the animals we eat, our increased stress levels and the patterns of less sleep many people are experiencing because of the lifestyles they are choosing and less exercise being included in our daily routines.

All of these factors are contributing to and at cause of the increase in obesity and ill health we are seeing the world over. To make matters worse, we are exporting this way of eating the world over, as it is cheap, portable, has no depreciation and is designed to taste good and keep people craving the very foods that are at the crux of the problem. AND even more frightening these consequences, we are beginning to see, reach far into future generations.

It seems that back in the 70's there was an increase in eating more carbohydrates rather than fats in the average diet. Fats were seen as the culprits to weight gain and health problems. So fats were out and carbohydrates were in. These carbs especially came in the form of sugars and with the industrialization of food processing, highly processed foods which contained these sugars were being consumed more and more. Fat were given a bad rap however, as fat is not the problem leading to the increase in obesity and poor health, processed and refined carbohydrates ARE, especially in the form of sugar. In the advent of fast foods and low fat, high sugar products filling the grocery shelves, we started eating foods which contained fats and carbohydrates together in one food and this is where we ran into trouble. In nature there is no natural food that is both fat and carbohydrate, foods are either one or the other, except in the case of SUGAR.

Many people do not realize sugar is made up of two molecules, glucose and fructose. It is the fructose that's very sweet and it is the part we crave. Glucose is metabolized by all cells of the body, with only 20% being metabolized in the liver. Glucose is changed to glycogen which is stored for future need and use. Fructose however is only metabolized in the liver, which overloads the liver if it is not being used and it is then turned to fat in the mitochondria. When there is more glucose than can be used or stored it also goes to the mitochondria and turns to fat. This eventually causes an overload which clogs the mitochondria and its proper functioning and this stagnation leads to dysfunction and disease.

Fructose is an hepatic toxin and is more like alcohol than anything else and like alcohol it turns to fat and puts a big strain on the liver, which is a very important organ. When there is more of this fat then can be used, there is an increase of blood sugar causing our pancreas to work even harder to produce more insulin to metabolize these sugars and get them into the cells so they can be used as fuel. High insulin levels signal the body to turn sugar to fat, as the body begins to store this fat we have weight gain and over time the cells become insulin resistant. This means the cells can no longer take in and use the sugar so it is now circulating in our blood, causing damage to the cells of our body. This weight gain also drives blood pressure higher, leading to heart disease, increases cell division leading to cancer and causes cell changes in the brain leading to dementia. The pancreas eventually burns out and this leads to diabetes.

We are living in a toxic environment that is poisoning our mitochondria and making us sick. It can be attributed in a large degree to the sugar in our foods. Science has told us eat less and exercise more and you will lose weight. This is easier said then done. Why? It is because Leptin, a hormone that tells us we have had enough to eat so we can stop eating, is not working in people with excess body fat. Today we have endless access to an industrial global diet, with its high sugar and fat content dominating the grocery shelves. It is this processed food that is driving the production of insulin. Insulin blocks leptin at the brain and gives you the message that you are hungry, therefore the higher your insulin goes by eating these high sugar foods, the more energy you store as fat and the hungrier you get. This becomes a vicious cycle of consumption, weight gain and disease. We are essentially addicted to eating more than we are suppose to because our brain thinks we are starving.

Obesity, heart disease, lipid problems, hypertension and type 2 Diabetes, are all part of what is called the Metabolic Syndrome. Now it is realized that dementia, poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer are also part of this syndrome. Obesity does not cause these diseases, it is the metabolic dysfunction that causes these diseases and leads to death in 60% of ALL people, not just Americans. The health care costs of these diseases represents 75% of health care expenses for ALL people. This is epidemic and has far reaching and world wide implications.

The other thing that is happening is dopamine (a pleasure center neurotransmitter) receptors are being down regulated, there becomes less of them as they are overstimulated by many of the chemical excito-toxins and sugars present in processed foods. In the brains of obese people the pleasure center lights up when it sees food and they want it, however once eaten there is a blunting of the center and less pleasure is received, thus there is an urge that can not satisfy the pleasure center, this creates the need to eat more in order to get the missing dopamine. This cycle occurs in anyone who uses narcotics, alcohol and nicotine as well as sugar. Sugar down regulates the receptors in the reward center of the brain. It is basically a drug. Thus you can see there is a biochemical factor behind this drive which makes it a behavior hard to stop by will alone. There is a chemical addiction at this point, an addiction that can be set in motion after just three weeks of eating high sugar, chemically laden processed foods.

What makes matters worse is that we can be set up even before birth to be obese, as our fat is laid down before we are even born and the diet of (mostly) our mothers helps to determine how much fat we will store. The younger the age a child becomes obese increases the likelihood of metabolic diseases at a younger age. Prevention is important, young women need to understand the importance of the diets they are choosing. Statistics show lifespans are now going down for the first time rather than up, this is related to our current food environment and the increase of the diseases related to it.

Stress is also related to the metabolic syndrome, as it shifts our behavior, stimulates overeating and leads to weight gain. Stress makes us hungry and makes us crave the denser calories of high salt, sweet and fat foods, which reward the brain. Our brain sees this as comfort food. Science is discovering that by reducing the stress hormone, cortisol, through mindfulness and awareness, we can shift the storage of fat from the abdomen without dieting. Our highly stressed lifestyles, paired with the fact that 80% of the food on our grocery shelves are laced with sugar and the statistic that we are eating 70% of our meals away from home, where we have less control over the ingredients contained in our food, set the likelihood of obesity in motion.

Awareness, incentives and the desire for foods that are untainted to become the norm are needed to make a change. Here are some of the things you can do to become proactive.

* Begin by making a choice to bring better foods into your home, get rid of sugar beverages, including fruit juices, snacks and all processed foods with overt and covert sugars and chemicals in them.

* Educate yourself about the ingredients contained in the products you are consuming.

* Drink more water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, shop for whole foods rather then those that are processed and grown with pesticides.

click here for more info on foods that are more prone to have pesticides.

* Start eating smaller portions. By using a smaller plate, portions will appear larger than they are and you will not be able to have so much on your plate to begin with.

* Get out and move more, it has been shown that consistent and sustained exercise helps. It is a buffer against stress related weight gain and helps create a sense of well being. It burns calories so they are not stored as fat.

* Eat foods with higher fiber content, complex carbohydrates with at least 3 grams of fiber, not refined and processed carbohydrates. Fiber helps food move through the intestines more quickly.

*Wait 20 minutes after your first serving before reaching for another. It takes your hunger hormone, Ghrelin, 20 minutes before it triggers a signal to the brain telling it that you are full.

* Though it sounds counterproductive, increasing good fats in your diet rather than sugars will help you become a fat burner rather than a sugar burner and decrease fat storage. Include more Omega 3 fats,rather than 6's and 9's and stay away from ALL trans-fats. For more information please see the section on fats in these web pages.

click here for the VIBRANT HEALTH FATS SUBSECTION.

* Read labels and learn to recognize what is in the foods you are eating. If you can not pronounce it, or it was not an ingredient in the foods your grandmother ate 50 years ago, then it is likely a chemically derived ingredient that is going to act as an addictive trigger to get you coming back for more or a substance more related to keeping that food on the shelf indefinitely rather than one added to provide nourishment. Learn to recognize the many names and faces of sugar and substances such as MSG which can be hidden in your foods under other names.

click here for the NON-ESSENTIALS PAGE.

* Get involved and speak up, let the multinational companies putting these health robbing ingredients into the food chain know this is not acceptable. Support locally grown organic farmers with your food dollars. Sign petitions that support transparent labeling and the end to GMO's. Get your congressional representatives and community members involved and interested too.

Take action to create better health for yourself and your family. As you have learned, poor health not only effects your own health but also that of generations to come. What we eat and our children eat are helping to create and mold our future. Do we want a vibrant, vital and healthy future or one that is dull, slothful and unhealthy? It is your choice.

VITALITY: DIGESTION & ELIMINATION ESSENTIAL LINKS

Do you ever wonder how many people would be able to function without the use of stimulants such as tobacco, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, sugary foods, coffee, drugs- pharmaceutical, over the counter and recreational? In our mad paced society it seems more and more people are relying on such products to get through the day. Drugs and tranquilizers to unwind, caffeine and stimulants to get going, anti-acids so you can eat anything you want without regard to the negative consequences. There are drugs to cope or at least put a fog around yourself, so you can cushion reality. What we tell ourselves is, everyone does it, no problem! At least that is, until we really take a good look and realize we are not really feeling all that energetic, vibrant and alive. Or maybe, we are already showing signs of serious illness that stops us short and forces us to take a good look, whether we want to or not. The body may look perfect on the outside but illness is a process that starts from the inside and outward manifestations may not appear until it is already to late to do anything about it.

Our bodies are designed in a magical way to provide us with vibrant health, if we just pay attention to what is needed. Too many people are more concerned with the daily pressures of home, work and their social lives and do not take time to get the proper rest and food to keep the body, mind and spirit vital and abundantly healthy. Soon they are surprised to see the degeneration of their physical and emotional body and wonder how this could have happened. They find their spirit is crushed.

Getting back to basics is a good place to start a renewal. We have forgotten that though we must eat, drink and breathe air to live, the quality of what we are eating, drinking and breathing is of utmost importance. A healthy body can not remain as such when it eats and drinks artifical, lifeless foods contaminated with chemicals and breathes air filled with pollutants. We must be able to fully digest what we are eating so the body can more effectively assimilate what is needed. Elimination of waste must be complete or we will become toxic. It is this toxicity that creates a lack of energy and vitality and over time subsequent disease. Toxicity can affect our thoughts and behaviour, as science is discovering, through recently discovered biochemical messengers.

What information do we need to create the vibrant level of health we want and deserve? Let's look at the processes of digestion, assimilation and elimination as a starting point. From this information we can see just how important these ESSENTIALS are to achieving VIBRANT HEALTH.

THE PROCESS OF DIGESTION AND ELIMINATION

When we smell and see food the process of digestion actually begins. Our digestive juices are activated and salivary glands begin secreting. This is why it is so important for food to look and smell good to us. I have written an aromatherapy booklet that explains how our olfactory senses are in direct communication with our brain. You can read more about this by clicking here.

The first stages of digestion begin in the mouth where the enzymes in our saliva begin to convert carbohydrates (which are both starches and sugars) to sugar. All food must be liquefied before it can be assimilated. Starches are not water-soluble so they must be converted to sugars first. These starches are further digested when they enter the small intestines. Eventually they become liquid. Chewing or mastication of our food is an important part of the liquification process. By liquifying food the fiber is separated out. The pulverized and masticated food, called chyme, is propelled into the stomach via the esophagus. The glands there have already been secreting hydrochloric acid anticipating its arrival. This HCL acid further digests the food by acidifying the stomach. It also acts to kill any infectious material that may be present, (as this could injure the lining of the small intestines) and can kill ingested parasites that may have entered into the digestive system. Other enzymes will also be secreted here to break down proteins, fats and other sugars, such as milk sugars, called lactose. Maltose is one of the sugars that breaks down in the mouth along with the starches.

From the stomach, the pyloric valve controls the passage of food into the duodenun. Here the bile and pancreatic enzymes neutralize the chyme and work to continue breaking down fats, proteins and starches. From the duodenum into the small intestines, the small molecules of liquefied food can now pass through the small intestines in a process called osmosis. By this process they are transported to the liver by the hepatic vein. The liver reconverts them into nutrients and chemical constituents, which are circulated by the blood to the cells and tissues throughout the body. You can read more about liver health by clicking here.

Food that cannot be digested or assimilated in the small intestines flows into the large intestine via the ileo-cecal valve, which opens to release the residue of chyme. This is a one way valve which does not allow any liquids or solids to re-enter the small intestines. This first part of the large intestine is called the cecum and is a large pouch.

Only five percent of the original meal is passed into the large intestine where the electrolytes and water are extracted. How fast the residue moves from here will determine a lot about the level of health we attain. Colonies of bacteria feed on the waste here in the colon. It is important to note here that if food is not digested properly it will not be absorbed. Nourishment can not be obtained from unabsorbed food. These undigested particles act as irritants to the system or may putrefy or ferment causing gastric distress and disease.

Solid food can take 3 to 5 hours or more to liquefy and arrive at the end of the small intestines. From there it can take another hour or two depending on the condition and functioning of the large intestine to move out of the body. If waste matter is allowed to accumulate we become toxic. These toxins can enter the circulatory system and literally pollute the cells and tissues they come in contact with as the blood circulates. They also may accumulate as waste that becomes a coating on the intestinal wall, acting to obscure or block the open flow of the large intestines. This toxic waste acts as an irritant or allergen in the system, which the body must act to dilute or protect it self from. It is this toxicity that creates disease and deprives us of feeling vibrant and at the peak of aliveness. Our system is overworked and undernourished.

This scenario may manifest as feeling groggy, heavy, listless, extremely fatigued, having headaches, bad breath, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence (gas) or other allergy symptoms just to name a few. Over time this toxic condition results in deeper issues of ill health. The immune system is compromised and the system is overburdened. It is this poor intestinal health that is a primary contributor to most disease.

Now that we know how the food we are eating and drinking is digested, let's take a look at the compositon of the foods we eat. The enzymes, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats and proteins that are our body's building blocks and source of energy. We can learn how to make the foods we eat support our health rather than destroy it. We are going to keep it basic and simple... yes, we could get real scientific but you know health is really a very simple and basic process. I feel we have made it too complicated and intellectual. There are really only the same tried and true basics that need be adhered to... basics which have been around from the time of primal man.

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CARBOHYDRATES: ENERGY IN ACTION

Food can be absorbed by the digestive system only after it is converted into liquid. Our body's are about 70% water by composition. About 7% of our body composition is carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are made up of starches and sugars. Starches are insoluble and must be converted to sugars so they can be water soluble. It requires energy and enzymes from the digestive system to convert starches to sugar, beginning with the chewing of the food.

Our body needs sugar to provide energy, however, it is the kind of sugar that we get that makes the difference. Chemically there are many types of sugar. Natural sugars are present in all fruits, raw vegetatables and whole grains. These are the types of sugars that are needed. Not the refined cane, beet, fructose and corn sugars that are manufactured products, produced by using intense heat and stripped of all live enzymes. These sugars are damaging to the system. "Manufactured" is the key word here. How do we think we can improve on nature? These processed sugars become liquid before they even leave the stomach and literally pour directly from the duodenum into the small intestines. Here, they are converted into alcohol and glucose and go directly to the liver. This glucose is then discharged into the blood, literally saturating it. If the glucose level is higher than the liver can tolerate, the excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles and if not needed converted into fats.... and where do you think they end up? You got it... fat under your chin, on your hips, stomach and butt. Poor sugar metabolism is the cause of conditions such as diabetes and hypoglycemia, which we are not specifically addressing at this time. Suffice it to say, the proper modifications of diet and regular exercise can make a long lasting difference.

Whole grains begin as nutritious foods; it is when they have been over-processed and cooked at high heat they become useless and even dangerous. Cooking grains is not necessary in order to eat them. High temperatures kill the active enzymes. These active (exogenous) enzymes help us digest, so we do not need to use our own limited supply of internal (endogenous) enzymes. Grains can be soaked overnight in water that has not been allowed to come to a boil (about 125 degress farenheit, maximum). This softens the grain so it can be chewed more easily and the beneficial enzymes and sugars released. This becomes food the body can use.

Starches consist of grains, cereals and all processed flour products. Once the outer covering of the whole grain has been processed, to supposedly refine it, it has had the nutritive elements of vitamins (biotin, riboflavin and nicotinic acid to name a few) and the valuable enzymes removed. Fiber has also been removed in this process. Fiber is needed to propel and move food through the digestive system, absorbing toxins as they move along, much like a broom sweeping away the contents to be eliminated. Manufacturers claim to replace these removed elements with fortification, but how can we improve on what nature has already created for us in perfect harmony and balance? All processed, white flour breads, crackers, cookies, cakes etc. are dead food, essentially destructive to good health. If they have been fried, saturated in fat and heated at high temperatures then they are even more destructive. This includes all fried foods such as potato chips, donuts, and corn chips. It impossible for the starch that is now coated and saturated with fat to be digested and broken down into sugar. The high heat has made the fat unable to be emulsified, therefore it can not be broken down to liquid. It is a no-win situation and this results in food being undigested and subsequent fermentation and putrefaction in the colon: prime conditions for offensive bad breath, constipation, odorous gas and future disease.

If you desire some flour products then be sure to use whole grains (if possible freshly stone ground) or sprouted ones. Do not overindulge; a slice or two on occasion is not a problem. Eat some raw vegetables or non-acid fruit with it to provide needed enzymes for more complete digestion and benefit.

One of the most significant functions of enzymes is in the food assimilation processes of the body. Enzymes are the life principle in raw foods our fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, live elements that are in the cells of vegetation as well as the human body. They are the life force needed to catalyze the various chemical processes that go on endlessly and miraculously in our bodies each and every minute. These enzymes are sensitive to heat above 118 degrees farenheit and are virtually killed at 130 degrees farenheit. Cold and sub-freezing does not seem to bother them.

Fresh raw juices or concentrated, powdered green foods, which are digested in minutes and assimilated in a few minutes more, are much more efficient and easier on the digestive system than solid foods. It is not to say that we should only drink juices, after all we need the fiber of nuts, seeds, grains and sprouts. It is best to chew well, choose whole, fresh and unprocessed foods and when cooking, use low heat to maintain the living enzymes available. Following these guidelines will help to obtain optimal health and proper weight levels.


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PROTEINS: BUILD, MAINTAIN AND REPAIR

Proteins are the building blocks of the body, composed of 23 amino acids, each with their own function and purpose. The breakdown of proteins during digestion generates heat which energizes and stimulates. Everyone needs protein. How much protein is needed will depend on your age, health, life style and how easily digested and assimilated the foods you are eating are. Children need more protein as they are growing and developing, as do those doing heavy physical labor. A person who is recovering from a disease which may have caused loss of body tissue will need more protein as well. Those who are sedentary need less.

The body cannot absorb a complete protein. First, it must be broken down by the acid medium of the stomach. Here the enzyme pepsin does its work. Natural proteins and carbohydrates, such as, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds in their unprocessed state, have a relatively higher water content than the concentrated proteins of animal flesh foods and the concentrated carbohydrates of processed sugars, pastas and other flour products. It takes less exertion to digest and assimilate natural proteins and carbohydrates. Remember: all foods must be liquified before they can be utilized.

When concentrated proteins and carbohydrates are eaten together, neither can be completely digested, as one needs an acid medium and the other an alkaline medium. This leads to incomplete digestion and can result in fermentation and putrefaction, causing gas or flatulence through out the entire digestive system. This is the cause of toxicity in the system and eventual degeneration and disease.

Fake meat products made from legumes and grains also create digestive problems as these products trick the body into thinking that meat has been ingested and the digestive juices follow suit. An acid medium is created which does not allow for the complete digestion of these foods that require an alkaline environment.

Excess concentrated protein consumption generates a large amount of uric acid during the process of digestion which must be excreted by the kidneys. This is a burden on the kidneys and can lead to the depositing of gravel and stones in these organs if they are not entirely excreted. Uric acid may deposit in joints and muscles as crystals which are the cause of the pain of arthritis, rheumatism and gout.

Many people do not realize that fresh fruits and vegetables contain easily digested and assimilated proteins. These are called light proteins and are no burden to the digestive system as they are assimilated and digested easily. They add to your protein pool: when combined with other grains and legumes can provide all of the 8 essential amino acids considered to be complete proteins.
Garlic has the highest vegetable protein content along with carrot, celery, parsley and spinach juices. Brussel sprouts, cabbage, collards, dandelion, kohlrabi and turnips are also a good vegetable protein choice. This is one reason to include fresh vegetables and juices in your diet. If this is not possible to juice or you find it too inconvenient, then wonderful products such as the Perfect Food exist to fill this need.

You can read more about Perfect Food on my whole food products page or by clicking here

If you feel you want to have some flesh foods then fresh fish, with fins and scales, from unpolluted oceans, rivers or lakes would be the better choice. Steamed lightly these fish have all the trace minerals and elements needed for health.

Protein, though important, can also be detrimental to our health depending on the quantity consumed therefore always take into consideration your personal needs. Eat proteins separately from carbohydrates and choose light proteins which are more easily assimilated. Choose from organic and non polluted sources. Be sure to maintain proper enzyme levels to aid in digestion. These simple guidelines can keep the balance we need for vibrant health.